reporting on the condition of germany's economy, the economics minister was keen to take as much credit as possible for record employment numbers, rising income, and falling debt. >> it is no accident that our economy is in good shape. it is no accident that new jobs are being created every day. they were created by the efforts of the german people, but they were also created by this governing coalition from >> but the opposition social democrats promptly pounced on the economics minister's claims. >> if you had anything to do with economic growth, then you have heard growth even more than you have hurt your own party's election results. >> the man who hopes to take chancellor merkel's job later this year accused her of failing to recognize the dangers of an unrestrained financial system. >> for too long, the government has tried to pretend it is all just a debt crisis of other individual countries, but that is only part of the story. now the truth is going to hit you in german taxpayers where it hurts. >> merkel and her cabinet are now hoping economies across europe will start to pick